St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge, Greater Manchester

Good
Primary
Voluntary aided school
Mixed
Church of England
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~579m)Possible (~827m)Unlikely (~1.1km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Sarah Dring
Pupils:207 / 210 capacity
LA:Wigan
Phone:01942883118
Address:Leigh Road, Atherton, Greater Manchester, M46 0PA
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Good

Overall

URN:106478
UKPRN:10068657
Diocese:Diocese of Manchester
Constituency:Leigh and Atherton
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

St Michael's is a caring school where children thrive academically and socially. Reading is central to the curriculum, with pupils becoming confident, fluent readers. The school provides excellent support for pupils with additional needs, ensuring they are fully included and able to succeed.

Key Strengths

  • Strong reading programme with high-quality texts and expert phonics teaching that helps pupils become accomplished readers
  • Effective support for pupils with SEND, enabling them to access the full curriculum and grow in confidence
  • Well-behaved, respectful pupils who support each other and contribute positively to school life
  • Carefully structured curriculum that builds secure knowledge as pupils progress through the school
  • Good relationships between school, parents and carers with clear communication about supporting learning

Areas for Improvement

  • Some children in early years do not learn to correctly form letters, which hinders their writing development in key stage 1
  • Teachers lack clarity about what pupils should learn about cultural diversity, meaning pupils do not build secure understanding of different cultures
  • Need to ensure pupils are better prepared to live in Britain's culturally diverse society

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff ensuring pupils feel safe and supported when upset or worried.

Extracurricular Activities

Breakfast club

St Michael's CofE Primary School is a good school where pupils are happy, well-behaved and supported by caring staff. The school provides a well-structured curriculum that enables pupils to build secure knowledge and achieve well.

At a Glance

21.3%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-22ppMaths-11ppWriting-9pp

Reading has declined from 92% to 70%. Maths has declined from 81% to 70%. Writing has declined from 92% to 83%.

Class Sizes

30.0

Avg class size

29.3

Infant (KS1)

30.5

KS2

7

Total classes

2 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Latest from St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge

From St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.

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Getting There

Bus Stops

Hope Fold Avenue (nr)
88m · 1 min walk
Leigh Road (NE-bound)
119m · 2 min walk
St Michael & All Angels (o/s)
187m · 3 min walk
Liscard Street (nr)
295m · 5 min walk
St Michael's Avenue (nr)
459m · 7 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

99%

Near capacity

207 pupils

210 capacity

3 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Greater Manchester

High pressure
New homes approved:219
Projected new pupils:55

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Greater Manchester

Admissions Demand - Wigan

Low demand0.92x oversubscription

Places available

3,894

Applications

3,601

Got 1st preference

89.7%

Got preferred school

97.0%

Primary admissions across Wigan (2025/26)

Inspection History(105)

Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.61265%

Overall absence

8.64865%

Persistent absence

185

Enrolments

Authorised3.32344%
Unauthorised1.28921%
Persistent (10%+)8.64865%
Severe (50%+)1.08108%

Absence trend

3.7361%
18/19
3.22103%
20/21
6.37561%
21/22
5.3846%
22/23
5.38181%
23/24
4.61265%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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